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Drannandow W Cairn is an extensively robbed round cairn situated c. 900m W of Drannandow Chambered Cairn and 300m N of Drumfern Cairn. According to Canmore ID 63018 (go to Links) it measures c. 34ft in diameter by 4ft high. The N half is turf-covered with a smattering of small stones. The S half has a layer of medium to large stones with a deep excavation in the SE Arc.

Visited 15.07.21

In the grounds of Chapel Finian the well lies c. 10 yards NW of the entrance immediately adjacent to the wall. There is shallow water in the well, possibly recently collected rainwater. There is a channel running NE-SW under the boundary wall. A 2ft square slab is visible in the NW edge of the rectangular stone lined structure.

It is listed as Canmore ID 62103 (go to Links).

Visited 15.07.21

On a visit to Longcastle today (15.07.21) I located two large stones incorporated into the dry stane dyke c. 10 yards SSE of the standing stone. The W stone is a roughly triangular stone flush to the dyke measuring c. 3ft high by 3.5 ft broad at the base tapering to a rounded top c. 3 ins broad. The E stone protrudes c. 1.5ft at 90 degrees to the wall measuring c. 40ins high by c. 1ft broad. The significance of these stones is discussed in Canmore ID 62686 (go to Links).

Visited 14.07.21

Cuff Hill Cairn is difficult to find. The narrow lanes off the B777 E of Beith are un-signposted leading to Cuff Hill Reservoir. Head for KA15 2JW on the SatNav to reach Cuffhill Reservoir. There is space to park between Cuffhill and Kirkleegreen Reservoirs. Walk back to Cuffhill Reservoir to reach a path which winds along the W bank of the reservoir. This runs parallel to a deer fence. Close to the end of the reservoir there is a hollow below the fence big enough to wriggle under. Head N along the fence then c. 200 yards NNE through woodland to reach Cuff Hill Cairn at NS 3859 5509. The grid reference is taken from Canmore ID 42121 (go to Links), which has an extensive description of Cuff Hill Cairn.

Lochrennie Hole Stone is a broken standing stone c. 400 yards N of the A702 between St John’s Town of Dalry and Moniaive in Dumfries and Galloway. It is erected on a hilltop c. 120 yards S of a farm track running parallel to the A702 from Lochrennie Farm.

According to Canmore ID 64766 (go to Links) it measures c. 2.5 ft wide by 3ft tall. The breadth of the slab tapers from c. 9 ins at the base to 4 ins at the top. The hole is c. 9 ins from the top with a c. 4.5 ins diameter. Approximately half of the circumference of the hole has been lost due to the top of Lochrennie Hole Stone having fractured. “The upper part of the stone was broken through the perforation about 1840 and is in the possession of the Rev Mr Corrie, U F Minister, Glencairn. The stone is reputed to have been used in connection with “handfasting”.” (Canmore ID 64766).

Directions: At the S edge of New Luce, beside the church, take the un-signposted turn up the hill. Stay on this narrow lane for c. 1 mile until you reach the sign for the Southern Upland Way (SUW) pointing up into the moorland. There is room to park here. Follow the path to reach a latched gate. After c. 200 yards uphill parallel to the wood you will reach a SUW post beside the wood. (There is a stone 70 yards up from this post c. 10 yards E of the wood edge with a large deep cup (6x4x4.5 inches) and a smooth grooved depression (c. 8x4x1 inches) at NX 19403 64651).
Continue along the SUW for c. 0.5 mile to reach a gateway in a dry stane dyke at NX 19683 64213. There is a wooden sign in the SE lee of the dry stane dyke pointing up to Caves of Kilhern 200m. To reach Kilhern SE continue along the SUW for c. 650 yards to the edge of Kilhern ruined farm. Turn L just before the entrance to the farm following the line of the enclosure uphill N for c. 100 yards. A farm track heading NE starts here. Follow it for c. 120 yards to reach Kilhern SE Long Cairn.

Kilhern SE lies c. 250 yards NE of Kilhern Farm Ruin on the Southern Upland Way (SUW). According to Canmore ID 138720 (go to Links) it is an extensively robbed long cairn with remains of a superimposed round cairn on the NE of the cairn. Kilhern SE long cairn measures c. 20 yards on the long NE-SW Axis. The stony NE end is c. 10 yards wide and the robbed-out grassy SW end is c. 5 yards wide giving the cairn an asymmetrical oval shape. The stones on the NE end are small to medium sized, irregularly shaped with no discernible structures. They are encrusted with a patina of white lichen giving the cairn an ancient aspect.

Caves of Kilhern Long Cairn is located c. 700 yards NW of Kilhern SE. This more famous cairn is signposted off the SUW. It is c. 250 yards SW along a drystane dyke from a gateway at NX 19684 64215 on the path. The wooden sign is in the SE lee of the wall after you have walked through the gateway so it is easily missed.

The Kilhern cairns share the same NE-SW orientation, however, Caves of Kilhern has three impressive chambers preserved whereas Kilhern SE has no visible structural remains.

Visited 06.06.21

The access to Brownhill Burn Cairn has dramatically altered since my last visit. There is now a new road to within c. 50 yards of Brownhill Burn Cairn. The trees round Brownhill Burn Cairn have been felled leaving it in rough ground with stumps and ditches. There has been an unwelcome addition to the cairn, a Spruce sapling growing near an excavation in the SE Arc of the cairn.
Directions: There is a minor turn off the A713 halfway between Dalmellington and Carsphairn at NX 51747 99760. It leads past Lamford Farm to a dead end in forestry beside the Water of Deugh. After c. 1 mile you will pass Lamford Burn cairn on the L. After another c. 0.5 miles take the L fork. After c. 1.5 miles there is a newly constructed road signed for Water of Deugh Circular on the L. After c. 0.2 miles there is a large lay-by on the R. Walk up the road c. 120 yards, looking R to see Brownhill Burn Cairn with a Spruce sapling growing in the middle of the cairn c. 50 yards W of the road.